I posted the below after a month of frustration with a php & javascript "expert" who took a job only to let me know that the job could not be performed because it required custom php & javascript programming. Ugh. I actually had to pay $1 for zero work done just to have the ability to leave public feedback. Is the following too harsh?:
I hate to leave such low scores here, but I cannot rate ****** ***** higher on work that he did not even perform. I'd like to believe that he is a good person, but I cannot work with individuals who overstate their qualifications.
I take great care in crafting my job descriptions. They very clearly state what requirements are needed for the task. If you are applying to one of my jobs, please be sure you are qualified, and rest assured that I will leave a glowingly positive feedback for a job well done. And I will be more than happy to pay $1 to call out anyone who wastes my time by taking a job they are not qualified for.
****** ***** misled me by overstating his qualifications. I gave very implicit instructions and asked him if he specifically had the skills required for this job. He assured me that he did, and proceeded to produce nothing. When confronted for an explanation, he stopped communication.
He may be qualified to install Wordpress or edit templates, but this does not qualify him as a PHP programmer, or a Wordpress "expert".
The only reason I payed a dollar is because it is the only way to leave public feedback on this system. Seems weird that I have to pay just for the ability to warn others of potential deceit.

It's not too harsh - it's diplomatic, it doesn't insult the contractor, it just shares your experience without turning personal or offensive. It's professional and to the point. It's good to get those experiences off your chest, unfortunately it's quite likely that you'll get your dollar back and feedback will disappear.

The contractor will probably hide the feedback and/or refund the $1 and be none the worse for the experience.
Take the issue up with oDesk support also. With such a small amount of money changing hands, the score will only affect the freelancer's rating if he has very few other ratings and if they are all for very low amounts.

Yes, he hired a contractor who misled him about his qualifications. Of course he should not give good feedback.

But this was not a personal affront to Don. This was a result of the fact that there is quite a bit of freedom on this platform and contractors are. It ore-screened. That leaves considerable responsibility for quality outcomes in the hands of the clients and contractors.

Think of it like a dating service. Upwork makes matches, but it can not guarantee that every match is a good one.

If this happened to me, I would not pay money so that I can leave feedback. The contractor will just refund to eliminate the feedback.

When this original poster first started this thread, it may not have been so clear, but now we know that contracts that end with no payment will lowers the contractor's job score. And the reason the client provides when closing the contract without payment will likely do further damage to the contractor's job score.

This contractor deserves to have a low job score.

Unfortunately, it is not unusual to see some Wordpress contractors inaccurately claim to be php programmers when they actually only know how to install Wordpress packages and configure them.

Unfortunately, it is not unusual to see some Wordpress contractors inaccurately claim to be php programmers when they actually only know how to install Wordpress packages and configure them.

Preston, it is not unusual to see you slam WordPress developers at every opportunity. Unless you have actual evidence to support your sweeping generalizations, please consider foregoing prejudicial remarks of this type. To me it's as inappopriate as disparaging freelancers on the basis of their geographical location.

John, I don't think I have ever said anything that could correctly be interpreted as slamming all WordPress developers.

I have no particular axe to grind with them or you.

I am understandably critical of incompetent and dishonest Wordpress "developers" such as the contractor described in the original post in this thread.

You should not take this personally. This criticism doesn't apply to you.

Upwork administrators are aware that Wordpress jobs generate a disproportionate amount of complaints from clients about the competency of contractors. This doesn't mean that Upwork should reject profiles from Wordpress contractors, nor should they reject job postings for Wordpress-related jobs.

This is a common sense observation. It should not bother you or anybody else any more than if I pointed out that a large proportion of Upwork contractors who apply for writing jobs are incompetent in that field, and many non-native English speakers with poor writing skills apply for jobs which ask that only native English speakers apply.

Upwork administrators are aware that Wordpress jobs generate a disproportionate amount of complaints from clients about the competency of contractors. This doesn't mean that Upwork should reject profiles from Wordpress contractors, nor should they reject job postings for Wordpress-related jobs.

I'm just wondering where you got this from. Can we all see the data on client complaints? It might be interesting to look at.